My Pretty Sweetheart novel Chapter 718

I paused for a moment. "Thank me for what?"

She pursed her lips, "Thank you for not loving him."

I froze and didn't know what to say.

"Can we still be friends?" She looked at me.

"I thought we've always been friends?" I replied.

She laughed uncontrollably, "Arianna, thank you."

Initially, I thought she was here to confront me. I never did quite... expect this.

I fretted for a while and started sharing, "Uncle Granger and Madam Miller's death really did a number on Irvin, and he never expected my presence. I know I owe him too much, but in the end, I still can't bring myself to repay him with my feelings, which is why I avoided him."

She stared deeply at me, "His heart is like a barren valley. I tried to pull him out of it, but I couldn't. Four years ago when I returned here with him, he stayed in Ucrebury for half a year. At first, I didn't know why he wanted to go to Ucrebury. Then, I saw that he regularly drank until he was piss drunk. He didn't care about himself nor others around him. Later on, he saw Nerissa on the news announcing that there would be retrenchment in the office. That was when someone came to him and asked for his help."

"After he returned to Ucrebury, he got rid of Nerissa and learnt about his parents. At first, I thought that he would make Nerissa suffer a fate worse than death. But he didn't. He placed all his focus on the war with the Roberts Group. I didn't know his reason then, but now I do. All he wanted was just to win you over."

As she said this, she looked at me and smiled. "Don't take this to heart though. I know I shouldn't have told you all this, but I have no other friends in Mesville."

"In fact, sometimes I'd have the urge to tell you how much he needs you. You're his salvation. I even imagined that if you stayed by his side, he might be saved from his misery. But I..."

I remained silent, not knowing how to respond.